A retired corporal named Htun Aung, who was serving at the Nyein Zar Nay Veterans’ Office in Seikphyu Township, Magway Region, was killed during an attempted arrest by the People’s Defense Force (PDF) on June 28. According to a PDF official from Seikphyu Township, the incident occurred around 9 AM when Htun Aung was leaving the town on his motorcycle. When PDF members attempted to arrest him at the town’s exit point, he tried to escape, leading to a shooting that resulted in his death. The retired corporal was known to be actively working for the military council, which prompted the PDF’s action to apprehend him.
According to a responsible official from the Seikphyu Township PDF, Htun Aung was acting as a liaison between military council troops and the Veterans’ Office. He was reportedly communicating with three military camps in the Seikphyu Township area, though it was unclear which specific camp he was heading to at the time of the incident. The official emphasized that Htun Aung was targeted for arrest due to his active collaboration with the military council. All PDF members involved in the operation returned safely after the incident. The Veterans’ Office where Htun Aung worked serves as a crucial administrative point for the military council’s operations in the area.
The Veterans’ Offices across Myanmar have been functioning as essential support centers for the military council, engaging in intelligence gathering, recruitment activities, and other logistical support operations. Since the military coup, these veterans’ offices and their staff have become targets of resistance forces due to their involvement in the military council’s oppressive activities. This incident serves as an example of how individuals working for the military council face potential consequences from people’s defense forces. The case highlights the ongoing conflict between pro-democracy forces and those supporting the military council’s administration, particularly in regions where the resistance movement maintains an active presence.
